Advancing Tomorrow s Leaders Penn Dental Medicine Diversity Initiatives
Building Opportunity Penn Dental Medicine embraces Penn s university-wide commitment to achieving eminence through diversity a commitment to ensuring the school reflects the vibrancy and richness of diverse life experiences and perspectives through our students, faculty, and staff. Diversity fosters innovative approaches and new ways of thinking that are fundamental to the education we provide. With diversity as one of the school s core values, the recruitment of students from a wide spectrum of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic levels is a top priority. To that end, the Office of Diversity Affairs has established a strong base of pipeline programs to reach prospective dental students at varied points in their education from high school students who may have never imagined a career in dental medicine to minority dental students looking to pursue postdoctoral study and specialty training. These programs are opening students minds to the myriad opportunities within dentistry and at Penn Dental Medicine, while scholarship support increases access, helping to make a Penn Dental Medicine education within reach for all qualified students. I didn t realize how the high school students would see me as a role model. Seeing and working with a minority person in the field of dentistry motivated a lot of the participants. Teemar Carey DMD Student, Summer Mentorship Program Coordinator
Programs In Place Being a mentor was one of the most enlightening and enjoyable experiences I've ever had. Watching attitudes change, blossom, and unfold as a result of something that you instilled in someone else is a humbling and extremely gratifying experience. Harold Colin Robinson DMD Student, Summer Mentorship Program Coordinator School District of Philadelphia/Oral Health Academy at Penn Dental Medicine Program Through a partnership with the Randolph Career and Technical High School, this program offers qualified minority students enrolled in its high school dental assisting program both academic and hands-on learning opportunities at Penn Dental Medicine. Interaction with dental students and faculty provides a reality-based translation of their high school vocational program to a professional career that is economically viable and intellectually gratifying. The Bio-Dental Program unique to Penn Dental Medicine admissions, is an early matriculation program, enabling accepted students from five undergraduate institutions to enter Penn Dental Medicine after their junior year. Hampton University, a historically black institution, is among the participating schools supporting the recruitment of underrepresented minority students to Penn. Other schools include Muhlenberg College, Villanova University, and Lehigh University as well as the University of Pennsylvania undergraduate college. The Impressions Program led by Penn Dental Medicine s chapter of the Student National Dental Association, is a one-day interactive workshop and seminar that targets local undergraduate students with a specific emphasis on reaching underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students attending local universities and colleges. The Postgraduate Externship Program brings highly qualified dental students from Howard University College of Dentistry and Meharry Dental School to shadow in the specialty clinics and learn about postdoctoral training at Penn Dental Medicine. This exposure to academic dental medicine also sparks interest in opportunities available at the faculty level.
Supporting Growth & Leadership By supporting the growth and development of Penn Dental Medicine s diversity pipeline programs, you are supporting the growth and development of a new generation of clinicians, researchers, and academic leaders as unique and varied as their home neighborhoods and cultural perspectives. With the ability to expand these programs, particularly those targeted to high school students, we can continue to build interest in dental medicine among greater numbers of minority youth attracting talented students and helping to change the landscape of health care delivery. Research has shown that better health outcomes are achieved when ethnic minority populations are served by ethnic minority providers. Hand-in-hand with these recruitment efforts is the vital role of scholarship resources. Without scholarship aid, a Penn Dental Medicine education would not be possible for many accomplished students. As a school, Penn Dental Medicine is committed to continuing to strengthen its scholarship opportunities, and we invite you to join us in supporting and impacting the future of deserving students, who if given the opportunity will excel. Our goal at Penn Dental Medicine is directly linked to the Penn Compact 2020, in which President Gutmann speaks of increasing access to Penn s exceptional intellectual resources. Our history has been one of educating the next generation of academic leaders, clinicians, and scholars. To do so, we must maintain the affordability of Penn Dental Medicine for all students through scholarships. Dr. Beverley A. Crawford Director of Diversity Affairs
Impacting Students Lives How our Programs are Making a Difference I participated in the Summer Mentoring Program the summer before my senior year of high school, and the timing could not have been more perfect. My mentors taught me to come out of my comfort zone, and my experience in learning how to use the dental handpiece taught me a significant lesson: the only way to overcome challenges is to be persistent and to turn your weaknesses into strengths. Janet Joseph Penn Undergraduate Summer Mentorship Program Participant My time as a Summer Mentorship Program coordinator opened my eyes to the true value of enrichment programs such as this one. The Program provides students with the opportunity to grow as leaders and to explore their passions, all the while building lifelong friendships and mentorships. Kayla Pietruszka DMD Student Summer Mentorship Program Coordinator The Summer Mentorship Program has broadened my horizon and really opened my eyes to the different branches of dentistry. I most definitely want to go to dental school after college. In fact, I want to attend Penn Dental Medicine. Estreanna Green Randolph Career and Technical High School Student Summer Mentorship Program Participant I loved every moment at Penn Dental Medicine, but the best memory is when the participants got the chance to shadow in clinics. Dania Bueno Randolph Career and Technical High School Student Summer Mentorship Program Participant
Making A Difference Supporting Diversity at Penn Dental Medicine Contact Information For more information on the diversity initiatives at Penn Dental Medicine and how to support these programs and student scholarships, please contact: Office of Diversity Affairs Dr. Beverley A. Crawford Director of Diversity Affairs Phone: 215-898-2840 minority@dental.upenn.edu Office of Development and Alumni Relations Maren Gaughan Associate Dean for Leadership Giving Phone: 215-898-8952 gaughan@dental.upenn.edu The Robert Schattner Center 240 S 40th Street Philadelphia, Pa 19104-6030 www.dental.upenn.edu Communication materials generously provided through a grant from